PARTNERS

Who Was Mithra? Sanctuary for a Mysterious Cult that Once Rivaled Christianity is Found on Corsica

Archaeologists working in the ancient Roman city of Mariana on the French island of Corsica have unearthed the ruins of a sanctuary of a cult of Mithra. This is a surprising find as it is the first example of the mysterious religion known as Mithraism having been practiced on the island.

IB Times reports that the discovery was made by French archaeologists in November 2016. The team from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) was called in to check the site before roadwork began.

So far, they have excavated what they believe to be a worship room and an antechamber related to the cult of Mithra. Speaking on the discovery, team leader Philippe Chapon told IB Times UK

"This is a very rare and exciting find. It is the first time we find evidence that Mithraism was practised in Corsica. There are only a dozen similar sites known in all of France, the last one having been excavated near the city of Angers in 2010."

Lilit Mkhitaryan has previously described on Ancient Origins some of the known details on Mithra and the cult created in his honor. As she wrote: “ Mithra was the god of light, purity, goodness, truth and occupied an important place in the faith of the ancient Aryans […] in the fourth century BC this cult spread from the Armenian Plateau to South Persia and India and in first century BC to North-West Europe.”

One of the most well-known Mithraeums (a Mithraic place of worship) is located in the basement of the Basilica of Saint Clement (Basilica di San Clemente) in Rome.

Mithraeum in lowest floor in San Clemente in Rome, Italy. ( CC BY SA 3.0 )

Chapon and his colleagues have found oil lamps and bronze bells, pottery and the marble head of a woman at the sanctuary in Mariana. But the artifacts that helped them most in identifying the purpose of the site are three pieces of a broken marble sculpture. Combined, they depict a scene of Mithra sacrificing a bull while a dog and snake drink the animal’s blood and a scorpion pinches its testes.

Some of the artifacts found at the site, including the pieces of broken marble. (Carole Heiligenstein /Corse Net Infos )

This depiction of Mithra fits well with others found related to his cult, as Lilit Mkhitaryan wrote “In ancient sculptures Mithra often was portrayed as a powerful young man with a Phrygian or Armenian cap who kills a sacred bull […]” The modern understanding of the Mithraic Mysteries is derived mainly from these kinds of reliefs and sculptures.

“It is said that within the salty sea (Lake of the Van), there was a rock, and when heaven was darkened the light fell on the rock and shortly after was born Mithra, almost naked but with a Phrygian hat on his head, and torch in his left hand, and it illuminated the world. By killing the bull, Mithra was creating the world from its parts.”

As IB Times reports, some of the artifacts found at the site on Corsica show signs of deliberate damage – such as a broken altar. It cannot be ascertained, but the archaeologists suggest that the destruction may have come about as a result of tensions between followers of Mithraism and early Christianity on the island. Although the Roman Empire’s religious policy was one of tolerance before Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaimed Christianity the official religion in 392, things changed soon after that decree was made.

Mariana was a Roman city that was founded by Marius around 100 BC. Its golden age was in the 3rd and 4th century when it had a strong commercial harbor that provided the city with contact all over the Mediterranean. The first excavations took place at the site around 1930, but interest was rekindled in 2000. Previous discoveries include the remains of an early Christian basilica and baptisterium, as well as a Roman street with a portico, parts of houses, and shops.

Pages

Alicia McDermott

Alicia McDermott has degrees in Anthropology International Development Studies and Psychology She is a Canadian who resides in Ecuador Traveling throughout Bolivia and Peru as well as all-over Ecuador Alicia has increased her knowledge of Pre-Colombian sites as well as... Read More

Mithra / Mika is God SebAzi of Human Soul. Both Mithra / Mika and Sebazi are Ancient Bulgarian names meaning Self. God Mithra is God SebAzi and both are representing the God Son of Godess Mother Creator of the world. Mithra / SebAzi used to be symbolized by Sun.

Thank you for this very interesting post and useful photographs. You may wish to know that the standard textbook on Mithras is Manfred Clauss, "The Roman cult of Mithras". This outlines how the archaeology has demonstrated that Mithras is distinct from Iranian Mithra, and probably was a pseudo-Persian cult originating in Rome.

Related Articles on Ancient-Origins

The Ġgantija temples of the megalithic complex in Xaghra, Gozo, are one of the most important and mysterious archaeological sites in the world. Gozo is one of three Maltese islands; Malta, Gozo, and...

Today, Jerash is a relatively unimposing town in the modern-day country of Jordan but its expansive and majestic ancient ruins reveal its glorious past. Even beneath its existing ruins lies a history...

Webinars

Viral Articles

One of the oldest goddesses in Egyptian mythology is Nut, the goddess of the sky (nut means ‘sky’ in the ancient Egyptian language). It was believed that that the sky is, in fact, a star-covered nude woman arched over the earth in a plank or perhaps down-dog position.

The Ġgantija temples of the megalithic complex in Xaghra, Gozo, are one of the most important and mysterious archaeological sites in the world. Gozo is one of three Maltese islands; Malta, Gozo, and Comino, situated just 90 kilometers (55.92 miles) south of Sicily

Top New Stories

Both Empress Euphemia and the succeeding empress Theodora transformed from sinners to Saints and although 5th to 6th century Roman society may have been more lenient, due to the empresses’ charity and piety, contemporary historians were not that tolerant nor forgiving in their opinions of the wives of the emperors.

Myths & Legends

One of the oldest goddesses in Egyptian mythology is Nut, the goddess of the sky (nut means ‘sky’ in the ancient Egyptian language). It was believed that that the sky is, in fact, a star-covered nude woman arched over the earth in a plank or perhaps down-dog position.

Human Origins

Most people who have the Rh blood type are Rh-positive. There are also instances, however, where people are Rh-Negative. Health problems may occur for the unborn child of a mother with Rh-Negative blood when the baby is Rh-Positive.

Ancient Places

The Ġgantija temples of the megalithic complex in Xaghra, Gozo, are one of the most important and mysterious archaeological sites in the world. Gozo is one of three Maltese islands; Malta, Gozo, and Comino, situated just 90 kilometers (55.92 miles) south of Sicily

Opinion

There is a famous Jonathan Swift quote about how the law impacts upon the rich and poor in unequal measure which reads, “Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through.”

Our Mission

At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there exists countless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts that have yet to be discovered and explained.

The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe.

We’re the only Pop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives.

By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings.